Judge extends injunction to NIH, DOD, DOT; orders broader restoration of terminated UC grants
U.S. District Judge Rita Lin broadened her UC-wide injunction to cover NIH, the Defense Department, and Transportation, ordering NIH to restore terminated grants to UC researchers—including about $500 million in NIH funding to UCLA on Sept. 22, 2025—after earlier reinstating $81 million in NSF awards. The preliminary injunction also bars agencies from issuing future mass terminations via generic form letters that lack specific reasons. Lin held that the Supreme Court’s APHA v. NIH ruling doesn’t preclude district court relief because UC researchers aren’t parties to the grant contracts and the Claims Court can’t hear First Amendment claims; she rejected First Amendment claims against NIH and DOD but found DOT’s DEI-cited cancellations were impermissible viewpoint discrimination.
📰 Sources (2)
- Judge Rita Lin ordered restoration of about $500 million in NIH grants to UCLA on Sept. 22, 2025.
- The administration had frozen $584 million in UCLA grants over alleged antisemitism/affirmative action violations.
- Lin earlier restored $81 million in NSF grants after finding prior cuts violated a June injunction covering UC grants.
- Judge Rita Lin extended her prior injunction to cover NIH, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Transportation and ordered NIH to restore terminated grants.
- The preliminary injunction bars future mass terminations via generic 'form letters' that lack specific reasons.
- Lin held that the Supreme Court’s APHA v. NIH decision does not bar UC researchers from seeking relief in district court because they are not parties to the grant contracts and the Claims Court cannot hear First Amendment claims.
- The court rejected First Amendment claims against NIH and DOD but found DOT explicitly cited DEI as a reason to cancel grants, labeling that 'viewpoint discrimination.'